CR set to introduce 18 new services

Central Railway (CR) will introduce 18 additional services on the main line of its suburban section from October 15.

Central Railway (CR) will introduce 18 additional services on the main line of its suburban section from October 15.

Most of the new services will be between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and Kalyan. Of the 18, there will be eight 15-car services on the fast corridor and ten 12-car services on the slow corridor.

“These additions are part of the 40 new services sanctioned in 2012-13 budget. Efforts have been taken to ply the new 15-car services during peak hours so that passengers can benefit,” said Subodh Jain, CR’s general manager.

Four of the 15-car fast corridor services have been introduced during peak hours in a move that could spell relief for daily passengers.

CR will also introduce three CST-Kalyan fast train services after 8am. “There is a huge demand for fast services in the night,” said V Malegaonkar, chief public relations officer, CR.

However, commuters claim that adding three more fast train services in the night is hardly sufficient. “There are no designated peak hours these days. People work and travel through the day. There should be more fast services till 10pm,” said Rohini Nair, 30, a software engineer.